BOWEN BIOGRAPHIES, Henry County, Missouri
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BOWEN, John - b: 1839 Thornley, Durham Co, England
source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co -
page: 834
residence: Windsor, Windsor Twp
John Bowen - The Bowen Coal Company of Windsor and Henry County, Missouri,
composed of Richard Bowen and his sons, John, Thomas R. and William S. Bowen,
is one of the most important mining concerns in western Missouri. For several
years since the organization of this company they have been mining coal in this
section of Missouri and have been active developers of this important mining
field. Richard Bowen, founder of the Bowen Coal Company, was born at Thornley,
Durham County, England, May 17, 1839. He is the son of James and Elizabeth
(Tulip) Bowen, the former of whom was a soldier in the British Armies, having
fought in America during the War of 1812 and was a soldier in Wellington's army,
which defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. Richard Bowen was reared to
young manhood in England and became a coal miner. He immigrated to America in
1863 and arrived here on May 9. He first settled in the coal mining country near
Steubenville, Ohio, later going to the mining section of Allegheny County,
Maryland, where he was employed in the mines for a year. He then went to
Clarksburg, West Virginia, and was there employed for three years. From
Clarksburg he went to Ritchie County, West Virginia, and had charge of coal
mines at that place for four years as mine boss and superintendent. In 1876 he
came to Henry County, Missouri, and took charge of the Bancroft and Company's
mines. Later he was manager of the Osage mines. In 1882 he embarked in mining
on his own account and became a member of the Tebo Mining Company. For twenty
years thereafter he was interested actively in coal mining and organized the
Bowen Mining Company of which he was the head until his retirement to a home
in Clinton, Missouri. Mr. Bowen is now making his home in Kansas City, Missouri.
He is still interested in mining. In February, 1858, Richard Bowen and Elizabeth
Thompson were married in England. This marriage was blessed with nine children.
Five of these children died in infancy. The others living are: John, William S.,
Thomas R., and Elizabeth, widow of Henry Peckinpaugh, of Clinton, Missouri. The
late Mrs. Elizabeth Bowen was born August 4, 1838, and departed this life
February 7, 1913. John Bowen, the immediate subject of this review, was born at
Thornley, Durham County, England, December 13, 1858. He accompanied his
parents to America in 1863 and was here reared to young manhood, following in
his successful father's footsteps as miner and operator of coal mines. His public
school education was obtained at Clarksburg, West Virginia, and not long
afterward he became engaged with his father in coal mining. In 1882 he joined
his father in the mining business and they operated coal mines at Lewis Station,
Henry County, where the concern also conducted a general merchandise store, of
which John Bowen had charge until 1902. He made his home in Clinton, Missouri,
until 1901 and then came to Windsor. The Bowen brothers discovered a splendid
vein of coal west of Windsor on the Henry-Johnson County line and they began
developing it. With the opening of the mines a town sprang up in that vicinity
which has been named Bowen. On January 25, 1881, John Bowen and Miss Mary A.
Thompson were united in marriage. The children born of this marriage are:
Elizabeth G., wife of Robert G. Frazer, Tallulah, Louisiana; Richard J., his father's
assistant; John W., bookkeeper of the First National Bank of Windsor; Ralph T.,
engaged in the mining business. Mrs. Mary A. Bowen was born in England, the
daughter of James A. and Grace (Nichol) Thompson, who emigrated from England
in 1870 and settled at Laconing, Maryland, residing there until 1878, when they
came to Missouri. James A. Thompson was a coal miner and was interested in the
mines at Lewis, Henry County, where he resided until his death on December 9,
1880. His wife passed away at Windsor in 1906. Mr. Bowen is president of the
First National Bank of Windsor and is a director of the Clinton National Bank of
Clinton, Missouri. He was elected mayor of Windsor in 1911 and served for two
years in this capacity. He is affiliated fraternally with the Ancient Free and
Accepted Masons, Clinton Lodge No.548, and Royal Arch Chapter No.73 of Clinton.
Mr. Bowen is an energetic and public spirited citizen who has the best interests
of his home city and county at heart.
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BOWEN, Richard - b: 1839 England
source: 1883 History of Henry Missouri , National Historical Co. - page: 795
residence: Deer Creek
Richard Bowen, mine inspector of Henry County, owes his nativity to England,
where he was born May 17, 1839. His parents, James and Elizabeth Bowen, nee
Tulip, were both natives of England. The former was a soldier in the English
army, and was a Waterloo pensioner, and served also in the war of 1812. Richard
Bowen grew to manhood in his native country, and at the age of eight years he
commenced working in the mines. He immigrated to the United States in 1833,
and located first in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and worked in the mines
about one year, removing thence to Clarksburgh, West Virginia. Here he followed
this occupation three years. They went to Ritchie County, and had charge of a coal
mine four years. In 1871, he located in Allegheny County, Maryland, and six years
later, or in 1877, came to Missouri and settled in Henry County, taking charge of
a mine for Bancroft & Co. He then had charge of the mines of the Osage Mining
Company, in Henry County, until June, 1882. Mr. Bowen was appointed county
inspector of coal mines for Henry County in July, 1882. He was married in
England in February, 1858, to Miss Elizabeth Thompson, of that country, and a
daughter of Ralph Thompson. They have four children: John, Elizabeth, William S.
and Robert T. Mr. Bowen has a farm of eighty acres, and he is devoting a portion
of his time to farming.
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BOWEN, Thomas R. - b: 1875 Lonaconing, MD
source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co -
page: 521
residence: Windsor, Windsor Twp
Thomas R. Bowen - The mining industry has been an important one in Henry
County for many years and received a pronounced impetus in the late seventies
when Richard Bowen came to the county, an experienced coal miner who had spent
the greater part of his life in the mining region of the Eastern States and who
was skilled in the mining industry. Mines have been developed in many sections of
Henry County with profit to the owners, and have brought wealth to the various
communities. The Bowens, father and sons, John and Thomas R. Bowen, have for
years been the leading figures in coal mining in this section of western Missouri
and the mining town of Bowen, located west of Windsor, was founded and built up
by this firm. It has mined and shipped thousands of tons of coal from the various
fields in which they have been operating. Since the abnormal demands for coal,
and more coal, which has taxed the mining resources of the country beyond their
capacity and also overtaxed the railroads of the country to haul the fuel to the
various centers in order to meet the great demand for fuel needed to keep the
wheels of industry going for war needs, the Bowens have been doing their part in
assisting the work of fuel supply. Thomas R. Bowen, coal mine operator and
dealer, Windsor, Missouri, was born at Lonaconing, Maryland, May 26, 1875, the
son of Richard and Elizabeth (Thompson) Bowen, concerning whom an account is
given in connection with the sketch of John Bowen, in this volume. Thomas R.
Bowen is the youngest of nine children, born to his parents. Richard Bowen came
to Henry County, Missouri, in 1876 and engaged in coal mining. For years he was a
successful coal operator in the vicinity of Windsor and now residing in Kansas
City, Missouri. Thomas R. Bowen was educated in the Clinton Academy and
naturally took up the vocation of his father and became a miner and operator of
coal mines. He became interested in the business with his father and brother and
has become well-to-do. He is the individual owner of land in Missouri and Kansas.
On September 5, 1895, Thomas R. Bowen and Nellie Jennings were united in
marriage. To this union has been born one child, Frances, born July 27, 1907. Mr.
Bowen is a stockholder and a director of the First National Bank of Windsor and
the Clinton National Bank of Clinton. Missouri, and is rated as one of the leading
financial citizens of Henry County.
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BOWEN, Thomas Robert - b: 1875 Lonaconing, MD
source: 1917 Missouri The Center State, selected bios reprinted by Clinton
Democrat
residence: Windsor, Windsor Twp
Thomas R. Bowen is prominently connected with the coal mining industry in
Windsor, Missouri, and has also other important interests, being a director in the
First National Bank of that city and the owner of eight hundred acres of farm land
which he rents out. Mr. Bowen is a son of Richard and Elizabeth (Thompson)
Bowen, natives of England, of whom extended mention is made in connection with
the biographical article of John Bowen, appearing in this work. Their son,
Thomas, was born in Lonaconing, Maryland, May 26, 1875, but upon the removal of
the family to Missouri, became a resident of this state and attended school in
Clinton. He augmented his fundamental knowledge by a course at the Clinton
Academy and when seventeen years of age left school and became associated
with his father and brothers in their mining interests at Lewis Station. This
partnership still continues and Thomas R. Bowen has been an important factor in
the successful conduct of that business. From 1893 to 1898 Mr. Bowen lived in
Savanna, Oklahoma, looking after the coal mining interests of the family there
and also being at the head of a trading company operated by them. After disposing
of these interests he returned to Lewis Station and two years later came to
Windsor, where he has resided continuously since that time. He now is
superintendent of the mines of the company and is highly efficient in this
position, as he is thoroughly informed upon all the phases of operation and keeps
in contact with the latest methods applied to mining. On September 5, 1895, Mr.
Bowen married Miss Nellie Jennings, who was born at Bijou Basin, Colorado. She
is a daughter of J. T. and Emma (Anderson) Jennings, the father a blacksmith and
machinist in his earlier life. He was born at Chillicothe, Livingston County,
Missouri, and was reared upon a farm. Later he went to Colorado, engaging in
sawmilling, and subsequently continued his westward movement to California. He
was a resident of several western states and went west after having served on
the Confederate side in the Civil War. He returned to Missouri about 1877,
locating at first in Livingston County and later in Henry County. After the death
of his wife he married again and is now a resident of Leeton, Missouri. He lives
retired in the enjoyment of a comfortable competence and is well known and
highly respected in that city. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge, to the tenets
and principles of which he is loyal. Mr. and Mrs. Jennings became the parents of
two children: Eva, deceased; and Mrs. Bowen. The latter bore her husband one
daughter, Frances Evelyn, born July 27, 1907. Mr. Bowen is interested in the
progress of his section and always gives his support to worthy public
enterprises. He is a Republican and votes for the party's issues and candidates,
although he himself has never cared to enter public life. He is well thought of by
his fellowmen and respected by his employees.
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